Sydney Roosters playmakers Mitchell Pearce and Todd Carney started 2010 with dominant performances in their side's 28-10 NRL trial win over the Wests Tigers at the Sydney Football Stadium on Sunday.

Roosters coach, Brian Smith has already tipped the pair to play representative football this season, and the pair justified that confidence, with starring roles in the Roosters' fourth consecutive Foundation Cup victory.

Pearce set up all four of the Roosters tries in a mature and classy showing, while controversial signing Carney scored a try and kicked six goals for a 16-point game, where he split his time between fullback and five-eighth.

NSW selectors went with Brisbane No.7 Peter Wallace to begin last year's State of Origin series, with Pearce not even getting a start for the City Origin side.

But the son of Blues legend Wayne Pearce, looks a far superior footballer this year, than the one who made his Origin debut in 2008 and played behind a beaten Roosters team last season.

Five minutes into the second half Pearce showed off his combination with Carney, holding up the ball perfectly before giving an inside pass to send the former Raider under the posts in front of 10,281 fans.

Carney played fullback in the first half, but had his better touches in the second forty playing five eighth outside Pearce.

New Tigers signing and former New Zealand prop Jason Cayless was put on report in the 63rd minute for a late shot on Carney.

Pearce set up the Roosters two first-half tries as well - laying on the first with a perfectly executed cross-kick, that was batted back by Perrett for centre Shaun Kenny-Dowall to score.

Then with five minutes left in the first half, Pearce sent a charging Anthony Cherrington over, with a beautiful short pass 20 metres out from the line.

For the Wests Tigers, all eyes were on their scrumbase, and how Toyota Cup gun Robert Lui would go inside Benji Marshall at halfback.

Lui struggled with his kicking game, although he did set up a consolation try for centre Chris Lawrence in the second half, before new signing Mitch Brown scored another four-pointer for Tim Sheens' side.

With just two minutes left in the match, Wests Tigers go-to-man Benji Marshall twisted his ankle chasing through a kick and was immediately taken up the tunnel.

Tigers coach Tim Sheens said the injury was not serious, however club doctor Donald Kuah admitted there was the possibility that Marshall had damaged ligaments in his ankle and could miss a couple of weeks of football.

There was no swelling and the Kiwi skipper didn't require crouches or assistance from the field, pointing to a quick recovery, but scans will reveal the full extent on Monday.

"He twisted his ankle, the next 24 hours will tell, I don't think there was anything major," said Sheens.

The four-time Premiership winning coach was unimpressed with the Tigers effort.

"I don't think there was any aspect of our game (that was positive) other than we can improve, because we dropped so much early ball and made so many errors," Sheens said.

"I did have Rob and Benji off for that critical 20 minute period just before and just after halftime so we lost our way a bit there."

New Roosters coach Brian Smith was happy with his team's comprehensive victory, and liked what he saw out of Pearce and Carney.

Smith doesn't believe Carney will have a problem adjusting to fullback, despite the Goulburn product looking arguably more comfortable in the second half playing five eighth.

"I can't actually see what it is that Toddy hasn't got that would stop him from playing fullback," he said.

"Except for experience and there is only one way I can get that for him.

"We're trying to give him some experience back again to knock the rust out of him and get him going. He showed glimpses of really high quality, a bit of rust at times too, so hopefully we can get him ready to go by the first round whatever position it is."

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